There’s no denying the popularity of the classic BMW boxer—but it does have its idiosyncrasies. Perhaps the most infamous of these is the way its fuel tank leans one way, while its substantial engine block leans another.
This visual disharmony didn’t sit well with Earth Motorcycles. Faced with a 1987 BMW R80RT and a client who wanted a slick café racer, the Slovakian custom shop resolved to massage the old boxer’s individual parts into alignment.
“Typically, this imbalance forces builders to angle the rear of the seat upwards, giving the bike a more aggressive, dramatic posture,” says Earth’s founder, Vlado Dinga. “Like many others, Earth has gone that route before. But this time, we chose to challenge the geometry instead of accepting it.”…